SANTA CLARA PREVAILS OVER HIGHLANDERS

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SANTA CLARA, CALIF. - Radford's first trip to the West Coast in nearly a decade commenced Monday with a 75-62 hard-fought loss at Santa Clara. The Broncos closed the first half with a 13-4 run over the final five minutes. The run turned a three-point RU lead into a 33-27 halftime edge, and SC held off a Highlander rally in the second half to hand Radford its third loss of the season.

A break-away steal and dunk by Javonte Green gave the Highlanders a 23-20 lead with 4:58 to play in the first half. Radford (6-3), however, would hit only one more field goal in the half, and Santa Clara (5-5) took the momentum into the lockerroom.

"We played really hard tonight," RU head coach Mike Jones said. "We just made some critical mistakes in stretches and didn't play with poise when we needed to."

R.J. Price scored 10 of his team-high 16 points in the second half and keyed a rally that would see the Highlanders cut a 14-point lead to just four points after a 13-3 run midway through the half. Kion Brown's field goal with 6:46 to play cut the lead to 58-54, and then he scored again to make it 60-56 with 5:58 remaining. The Highlanders would get no closer as the Broncos put the game out of reach with a 9-0 answer.

"We caused problems for them defensively," Jones said. "There were just too many little things that built up and caused us to lose our poise."

Green finished with 12 points to go along with Price's 16. Brandon Holcomb, playing in his home state of California for the first time as a Highlander, scored a career-high 10 points. Jalen Carethers grabbed a team-high seven rebounds.

Jared Brownridge led Santa Clara with 21 points to lead three Broncos in double figures. Jerry Brown added 16, and Evan Roquemore had 12.

Radford continues its play in the Continental Tire Las Vegas Classic on Wednesday when the Highlanders travel to UNLV for a 10:00 p.m. (ET) tip against the Runnin' Rebels.

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